“We did a lot of due diligence into his problems from last year… we felt it’s a risk worth taking.”
By Scott Caruso | February 5th, 2008 | Posted in Discussion
At the time of the trade, in which the Rays gave up LHP Jeff Ridgway (and also got prospect Chase Fontaine), executive VP Andrew Friedman said the Rays felt Aybar’s problems were behind him: “We did a lot of due diligence into his problems from last year, and while we recognize it’s a risk, obviously we felt it’s a risk worth taking. We’ve seen him play a lot in the Dominican Republic, and we’ve talked to a lot of people that have been affiliated with him throughout his career and that are around him now, and we feel that the upside is definitely worth it.”
That’s from the latest blog entry from Marc Topkin. As you’ve probably heard by now, Willy Aybar is in trouble – again – after domestic violence charges back home in the Domincan.
Newly acquired infielder Willy Aybar is jailed in his native Dominican Republic on domestic violence charges and could remain there for several months, a prosecutor told espndeportes.com.
Aybar has been held without bail since Thursday for allegedly assaulting his wife in Baní, according to the report by the Spanish-language arm of ESPN.
Rays spokesman Rick Vaughn said the team did not yet have enough details to comment.
True or false, this has to sting Andrew Friedman who just about 10 days ago gave Aybar his quasi-seal of approval. I would be SHOCKED if Aybar is on this team come Opening Day. It’s now either Evan Longoria or Joel Guzman, in my opinion. After all the trouble the team has gone to to unload bad attitudes, I can’t believe it will tolerate any of this from someone who has already proven to have a bad track record.
Tags: Willy Aybar
February 5th, 2008 at 11:16 am
so Chase Fontaine for Ridgway still seems like a good trade if Aybar never sees the field…. Still very disapointing, but this leaves the door swinging in the breeze for Longoria to make the 25-man. It seems to me that Madden’s idea of letting Longo win the job in the spring is taking over from th idea that he would/would not know going into the spring. I like that much better. Give the kid a shot to win the job and if he look s a little over matced let him season in AAA for a month or so.
February 5th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I don’t suspect that this will have any effect on Longoria’s status… the Rays will simply not have a choice to make between Guzman and Aybar if Longoria isn’t deemed ready. They will not feel pressured to call him up sooner without Aybar on the roster.
February 5th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
The decision for Aybar to play for the Rays this year may not be in the hands of the Rays organization, but rather the DR justice system. If the charges stick, he could be locked up for a long time. It had to happen sooner or later this off-season…the Rays got burned.